Reading apparatus.



J. STEENSON.

READING APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 21, 1912.

1,067,772. Patented July 15, 1913.

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READING APPARATUS.

Specification of Iletters Patent.

Patented J uly 15, 1913.

Application filed August 21, 1912. Serial No. 716,283.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, Jules STEENSON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State ofMinnesota, have invented new and useful Improvements in ReadingApparatus, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention is an improved reading apparatus, especially adapted foruse by lecturers,clergymen and others, in reading and deliveringlectures, sermons, and the like, the object of the inventionbeing toprovide an improved apparatus of this kind in which the manuscript isplaced and which serves to illuminate and magnify the manuscript, aswell as to feed the manuscript so as to enable the manuscript to bereadily read.

In theaccompanying drawing :-Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinalsectional view of a reading apparatus constructed in accordance with myinvention. Fig. 2 is a detail transverse sectional view ofthe same onthe plane indicated bythe line a a of Fig. 1.

In the embodiment of my invention, I provide a suitable case 1 which maybe made of any suitable material, sheet metal or the like and ispreferably covered with leather or other such material and is of a formand size resembling a book. The upper side of the case is open and acover 2 is provided for the open upper s1 de of the case, the said coverbemg hinged at one end as at 3 and being provided with triangular sides4 which are arranged on the inner sides of opposite side walls of thecase. Hence, the cover with its triangular sides constitutes what is ineffect a hood which may be raised and lowered.

Apair of manuscript carrying rollers 5--6 are mounted transversely inthe case at points near one end thereof, the roller 6 being in a higherplane than the roller 5. The upper roller 6 is provided with aninteriorly arranged coiled spring 7 to turn said roller in onedirection, indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1 and the said roller isprovided in one side, at one end, with a detent notch 8. A. pair ofdirection rollers 9-10 are also provided which are mounted in thecasing, one to one side of the roller 5 and the other above the roller10. The manuscript is in a long roll or strip, indicated at 11, isattached at its ends to the rollers 5-6 and also engages the rollers9--1O so that a portion of the manuscript is stretched between the saidrollers 9l0 and is arranged at an angle of about forty-five degrees withrespect to the bottom case, that portion of the manuscript which isstretched between the rollers 910 being visible when the hood is raised.The parts are so proportioned that one revolution of the rollers 5-6unwinds from the roller 5 and winds upon the roller 6 a portion of themanuscriptcorresponding in length to the space between the rollers 9-10.

A locking dog 12 is provided which is pivotally mounted as at 13, isadapted to engage the notch 8 of the roller 6 and is normally held inengaged position by a spring 1 1. A rod 15 is connected to the saidlooking dog, passes through the front end of the case and is provided atits outer end with a head or button 16. Assuming that the spring 7 hasbeen properly wound, when the rod 15 is moved inwardly by pressing onthe button 16, the dog 12 disengages the notch 8 and thereupon theroller 6 is revolved through one revolution by this spring 7, causingthe said roller to partly wind the manuscript and the roller 5 to partlyunwind the manuscript with the result that a new portion of themanuscript is exposed for reading between the rollers 9 10, the dog bythe action of the spring 14: reengaging the notch 8 as'soon as onerotation of theroller 6 has been completed and, hence, holding therollers and therefore also the manuscript until the exposed portion ofthe manuscript has been read. The reader then again operatesthe pressbutton thus causing another portion of the manuscript to be exposed forreading.

On the under side of the hood or cover 2 at a suitable distance from thefront end thereof are a pair of guide flanges 17 which are arrangedlongitudinally and are appropriately spaced apart. These guide flangesare connected by projections 18 on the ends of one leaf 19 of a hinge20, the other leaf of the hinge being connected to the rim of a lens 21.Hence, the lens is suspended from the hood, pivotally connected theretoand also connected thereto for longitudinal movement so that when thehood has been raised the lens can be adjusted at the required angle forreading, the lower side of the rim of the lens being adapted to beengaged in the angle between one end wall. of the case and an inclinedshield 22 which is arranged above an electric lamp or other suitablelamp 23. This shield 22 has a de pending flange 24: at its higher endwhich may be engaged with a supporting flange 25 which is secured on theinner side of the front wall of the case. Hence, the shield may bedetached when desired. When the hood is to be closed, the free end ofthe rim or mounting of the lens may be engaged with a supporting hook 26with which the hood is provided.

When the device is to be used, the hood is raised, the lens adjusted,and the electric current turned on. The rays of the electric lampstrongly illuminate the inclined exposed portion of the manuscript andthe rays of light are deflected therefrom ontwardly and upwardly throughthe lens 21, which is arranged facing the lecturer or clergyman. Hence,he can readily see and read the manuscript owing to its being sostrongly illuminated and this is greatly facilitated by the magnifyingaction of the lens. The case is light-proof excepting at the point wherethe lens is located so that no light vescapes from the case exceptthrough the lens. When the hood is closed, the device presents theappearance of a book.

In practice, the electric lamp may be supplied with current by suitableconductors from any electric plant or a battery to supply the lamp withcurrent may be arranged in the casing as indicated diagrammatically at27.

I claim l. A reading apparatus of the class described embodying a case,manuscript carrying and displaying rollers mounted in the case, a lampto illuminate the displayed portion of the manuscript, a hood pivotallymounted on the case and a lens having a flexible supporting element atits upper side connected to the under side of the hood for longitudinalmovement under the latter, so that the lens can be adjustedlongitudinally of the hood and to any required angle, the

case having supporting means for engage ment by the lower side of thelens, to enable the latter to support the hood in open position and thehood being also provided with supporting means for the lower side of thelens when the latter is under the hood and the hood is closed.

2. A reading apparatus of the class described embodying a case,manuscript carrying and display rollers mounted in one end of the case,a hood pivotally mounted on the end of the case in which the rollers arelocated, a lamp in the opposite end ofthe case, a supporting flangeabove the lamp, a shield also above the lamp and engaging with andsupported by said flange, the lamp being below the upper edge of thecase, and a lens pivotally and adjustably connected at its upper side tothe hood, the lower'side of the lens being adapted to be supportedagainst the flange wall of the case and above the shield when the hoodis open, the lens serving as a support for said hood.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES STEENSON.

Witnesses:

J. G. STEENsoN, MARY B. STEENsoN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents Washington, I). G.

